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The arrests and search warrants targeted employees of Vale as well as employees of German auditing firm TUV SUD, which had certified the dam as stable.

The latest warrants come after five Vale and TUV SUD employees were arrested last month, but were released by a higher court ruling on February 5.

Vale confirmed the arrest warrants on Friday and said it was co-operating with the investigation.

Among those arrested was Vale's Alexandre de Paula Campanha, who was involved in certifying the dam.

Also arrested was his colleague Helio Marcio Lopes da Cerqueira, who allegedly had email correspondence about faulty monitoring equipment at the mine.

A video released Friday shows the exact moment a deadly dam burst in Brazil on January 25. The dam failure unleashed a surge of mud that buried buildings adjoining the dam and several parts of the nearby city of Brumadinho. / AP

The Vale employees arrested on Friday were responsible for the security and stability of the Brumadinho dam and will be held in jail for 30 days.

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In the weeks since the dam collapse, the focus has been on retrieving bodies from the muddy sludge swallowing the town of Brumadinho.

Relatives of victims who died after the dam burst began laying their loved ones to rest at the end of last month.

While Vale has reportedly pledged a donation of $38,856 to each family that lost a loved one, locals are apparently not interested in compensation.

As Brazil comes to terms with what could be the worst industrial accident in the country's history, pressure for Vale to take responsibility is mounting.

Prior to the incident, the company enjoyed global success as the fourth largest mining company in the world. Vale is also the second most-traded share in Brazil's stock exchange, making it a key player in the country's economy.

Friends and relatives hold signs with the names of victims, during a march paying homage to the victims of the mining dam collapse in Brumadinho, Brazil. Photo / AP